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boardline22
Mar 30, 2007, 1:39 AM
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I am buying one cam off REI by tomorrow. I am thinking about the Black Diamond C4, but I am wondering what size. Should I get a link cam instead since it is 3 cams in one though? Thanks for your help.
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rhythm164
Mar 30, 2007, 1:59 AM
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i think your best move is to save your pennies and get a package deal off mountaingear.com or a similar website. you're not going to be doing much with one cam
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tradrenn
Mar 30, 2007, 2:03 AM
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boardline22 wrote: I am buying one cam off REI by tomorrow. I am thinking about the Black Diamond C4, but I am wondering what size. Should I get a link cam instead since it is 3 cams in one though? Thanks for your help.
Instead of on link cam get yourself 2 C4's, .5 and .75 to get you started.
Edited to add: 2 placements are always better then one.
(This post was edited by tradrenn on Mar 30, 2007, 2:04 AM)
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dynamo_
Mar 30, 2007, 2:20 AM
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tradrenn wrote: boardline22 wrote: I am buying one cam off REI by tomorrow. I am thinking about the Black Diamond C4, but I am wondering what size. Should I get a link cam instead since it is 3 cams in one though? Thanks for your help. Instead of on link cam get yourself 2 C4's, .5 and .75 to get you started. Edited to add: 2 placements are always better then one.
I post this because I had the SAME set of gear you've got now when I bought my first cam (a BD C4 #1)...I second tradrenn's point and will add..."two cams in one" is a little too hupla, haughty taughty, BS sounding to me. Never held a Link Cam, but I'd take C4s (two, even one) over a link cam any day...that's how sure I am that you'd be making an error.
Orrrrr, buy three Forged Friends...quality pieces, tough, light, old school.
But two C4s would be better.
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boardline22
Mar 30, 2007, 3:12 AM
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thing is I get 20% of one piece of gear and I have all the hexes, nuts, and tricams I need.
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elnero
Mar 30, 2007, 3:30 AM
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if you have enough to spend on a set, youd save a good bit with the 20%. being that you want to be one cam, ill assume that's not the case.
my super n00b advice is that you should always by what you want, not what you can afford. If you think a link cam will be more useful later, or now, or you want one, you should get it. don't 'settle' for something else cause you can get more for the same price. youl just end up with a bunch of those, and a couple of the ones you like, that youll use more often.
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scrapedape
Mar 30, 2007, 3:37 AM
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The #1 camalot is the first size you should get, followed by the #2, etc. (That's why they're numbered that way, historically speaking.) Obviously the #1 Friend is a different size, but that's because on the kind of rock where Friends are better, the smaller sizes are most important.
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ryanb
Mar 30, 2007, 3:57 AM
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#1 friend is one inch wide fully open #1 camalot fits one inch cracks is how the numbering system works more or less. don't get a .5 c4 as you might find out later you like narrower cams in that range. #.75 (thin hands) #1 (hands) or #2 (cupped hands) are all good sizes for camalots.
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billcoe_
Mar 30, 2007, 5:50 AM
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If you're getting 20% off I'd get the #3 C4. The #$s rarely get used, and with the discount, go for the most expensive one you will use. I have the link cams and they rock, but the camalots would be a better first cam rack than link cams.
The #1 and #2 camalots are often seen on the used market as well.
My opinion only.
Tak care:
Bill
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scrapedape
Mar 30, 2007, 1:47 PM
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ryanb a #1 camalot is not 1 inch fully closed, it is 1-3/16". And a #2 is 1-7/16" fully closed.
And a #1 Friend is 1-1/4" fully open but a #2 is 1-3/4".
And besides, you are using two completely different explanations for sizing systems, which makes no sense. So frankly your explanation is pretty stupid.
See my post above.
(This post was edited by scrapedape on Mar 30, 2007, 1:48 PM)
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skinnyclimber
Mar 30, 2007, 2:06 PM
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Well I don't know what kind of gear is needed in your area, and if you have hexes and tricams and such I'm assuming you have been leading at your local crags.
I would buy a C4, the proper size you will have to determine. Are there any routes where you really wished you had a cam of some certain size? If so get that one. If cams don't place well in your stone, get a #1 or #2 C4, as I like those in general. Remeber that a #2 C4 fits perfect hand cracks, so if you are like me, and a beginning leader, you probably like climbing cracks with bomber hand jams, thus a #2. Another thing about the #1 and #2 is that most people double up on these, so if in the future you get a deal on a "set" of cams that includes these sizes, you won't have doulbed up on something you won't use twice...
I have no experience with a link cam, but they do tend to WOW people so... Just kidding they are probably pretty cool.
good luck!
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bizarrodrinker
Mar 30, 2007, 3:15 PM
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From REI I would get either the .75 or #1 C4. I they get used a lot. In fact double up on them when you get the means. At least the #1
The red, yellow and green Aliens are great pieces too, but REI doesn't carry them.
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zeke_sf
Mar 30, 2007, 3:25 PM
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If you're starting off setting toprope anchors, maybe the link cam would be a good first piece for its versatility. But if you're looking more at building a complete rack, I'd go with C4s before adding the links. I've got both sized linkcams, but I consider those a supplement to a backbone of C4s. And like people are saying, you're basically going to get two C4s for the price of a linkcam. Plus, C4s are pretty much an accepted standard in the climbing community, while you still have plenty of people scoffing at the linkcam. The red #1 will be useful.
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dsmithdsp
Mar 30, 2007, 3:56 PM
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Gear Express has C4 .3, .4, .75, and 1 blems for about 17% off, so you might want to go with something Gear Express doesn't have and fill in the rest with blems when you can. I've purchased all but the 4 and 5 from them with free and much faster shipping.
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caughtinside
Mar 30, 2007, 4:26 PM
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One cam? a waste of time.
but, if you think it will be the first of many, look at your rack. You've got nuts an tricams? You've probably got the small sizes covered. Look at where your rack is thinnest in terms of crack size coverage, and fill that hole.
Don't buy a #4 cam first.
The link's kick ass, but right now you are really better off getting a couple cams. actually more like 5 or 6.
Another idea is to see what's on your partner's racks, and get what they don't have, so you can fill in when you climb together.
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psprings
Mar 30, 2007, 4:51 PM
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Registered: Jul 13, 2005
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Hey,
Just a thought for ya:
If you haven't placed many cams, get something that's a hand sized [ie bigger] cam instead of the small .5 or .75 cams. When you're first starting out using cams, it's nice to be able to inspect the placement really well visually [and by manually testing them]. If you get the really small cams, it's harder to inspect the placement when you're first starting out.
And I hear ya on buying just one with your REI dividend + 20% off coupon. Start working on your rack; it's ok to do it one at a time. I would, however, pick a brand and stick with it. If you go with a #1 C4, stick with C4s up to #3. You'll probably want to go with a different brand for the smaller sizes, but buying a progression of a 1,2, and 3 C4 would be a great start. Just make sure you stick with it... you don't want a total mish-mash of different cams with sporadic overlap of sizes and colors.
Just some thoughts
Peter
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papounet
Apr 2, 2007, 3:48 AM
Post #17 of 20
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boardline22 wrote: thing is I get 20% of one piece of gear and I have all the hexes, nuts, and tricams I need.
then get a C4 #2 or #3 because it is in larger size that friends shine over passive gear.
you would not get as much benefit from a #.75, #1
If you are really into buying one by one .
plan for for 2,1,3,.75,.50,2,1,4
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brent_e
Apr 2, 2007, 4:24 AM
Post #18 of 20
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Registered: Dec 15, 2004
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boardline22 wrote: thing is I get 20% of one piece of gear and I have all the hexes, nuts, and tricams I need.
impossible.
You need at least 4 more #11's.
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el_layclimber
Apr 2, 2007, 4:54 AM
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Registered: Jan 9, 2006
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I would get 15 pounds of sliced ham, a jar of mayonnaise, some mustard, 12 heads of lettuce, 10 loaves of bread and some velveeta slices. A cam only goes in a very specific spot, but ham sammies fit any route.
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8flood8
Apr 2, 2007, 5:10 AM
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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get a number 4 or 5 then because they are the more expensive of the c4's.
OR
you can send me $125 and i'll send you 5 rock empire robot cams (none have taken any falls)
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